Long-Term Prognosis of ADHD in Men Without Conduct Disorder

A 33-year follow-up finds poor outcomes in white middle-class men on measures of income, divorce, incarceration, psychiatric hospitalizations, and substance use disorders.

This unique prospective study allowed longitudinal assessment of severe childhood-onset attention/deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), without confounding by comorbid conduct disorder. Participants were 135 white men diagnosed at mean age 8 years with hyperactive/impulsive ADHD subtypes, but with few conduct-disorder symptoms, and 136 age-matched comparison men followed from age 18. At mean age 41, 65% of the ADHD group and 76% of the comparison group were reinterviewed. The control group assessed at age 41 had a significantly higher mean IQ than the baseline sample. Interviewers were masked to diagnosis.

Although median income among employed ADHD participants ($60,000) was higher than population norms, it was $40,000 lower than among cont…

Reviewing Author

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose